Chapter 56 56

Chapter 56 56
Vivian's POV

The line went completely dead. Not just silenced but abruptly disconnected, as though the call had been severed rather than ended in the usual way. I looked at my phone, my heart pounding so loud I could taste it in my throat. What was going on at the hospital? Why had Dominic’s sentence been truncated? The sirens, the shouting, the chaos that I’d heard in those last few seconds before the connection went, none of that boded well.

I tried calling back immediately. There was a single ring and then straight to voicemail. His recorded message was boring and businesslike, taunting me with its normalcy. I hung up and tried again. Same result. Again. Nothing.

My hands shook as I called Xavier, my fingers bumbling across the screen.

Something's up," I said as soon as he picked up. “It was the hospital, Dominic called, and then we were just cut off. There were sirens and screaming and…..”

"I know. I’m already organizing people and we are heading there now.”

"But Dominic needs—"

"Stay. There." The order was irrefutable, no arguement would be heard. "I'll handle this. Keep safe at Celeste's flat,"

And he slammed down the receiver before I could argue further.

I paced around Celeste's new apartment like a caged animal, my brain going a million miles an hour with terrible possibilities. I couldn’t just stand by, while Dominic was risking his life. Couldn’t cower behind guards and locked doors as the man who had taken a bullet for me confronted whatever was happening at that hospital.

I snatched my coat off the rack and was stepping out the door when I heard BJ’s voice. And two guards who stood at the outside of the apartment simply filled their place, blocking my way like some parvarsitization edging crowding the corner table.

"Sorry, ma'am, but we've very clear instructions that you're not to move from here," the tall one said firmly but apologetically.

“I don’t give a damn whether it’s your order or anyone else’s. My husband needs me." My voice emerged stronger than I had anticipated, ringing with an authority that I didn’t even realize was mine. He’s at risk and I am going to him.

"We can't let you leave. Mr. Wyatt was very specific—"

"Then shoot me. Because I’m walking out this door one way or the other.” I met his eyes directly. “Are you really about to shoot a woman on the ground for trying to get breast milk to her husband?”

I was surprised at the strength in my voice. For months, I’d been afraid, passive, letting others make decisions for me. But something had shifted. I had put a bullet in Dominic, intended for me. Were instead choosing me over everything else. The most I could do was be brave enough to stand beside him today.

The guards exchanged uncertain looks. At last, the bigger one begrudgingly stood away. "We're coming with you. Both of us. And if anything befalls you, Mr. Wyatt will have our scalps.”

"Fine. Let's go. Now."

As we raced through the traffic in Chicago, with guards scanning for threats and calling out to add even more backup around us, my phone rang. Veronica’s name lit up on the screen. I looked at it, almost waiting for voicemail to kick in. After everything she’d done, all the betrayal and manipulation, why would I?

But I answered it anyway. Maybe desperation. Perhaps wish that she had information that might actually help.

"Don't get to the hospital," Veronica said urgently, cuttingme off before I could even say anything. “Vivian, you must listen to me very carefully. It's a trap. Cassius has people positioned there. They intend to have Dominic killed during the mayhem tonight.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Suspicion colored every word. “Why would you give me a warning about anything?

“Because for all we’ve been through, for everything I’ve done wrong and you’ve nearly killed me for it, I don’t want to be a widow.” There was something real in her voice at last. "Turn around right now. Don't go to that hospital."

"You set us up at Grant Park! The entire meeting was your trap!” My voice broke with rage and hurt. “You led me there so Cassius could get us both killed!”

"I know. And I’m sorrier than you could ever imagine. But this is different, Vivian. This is me attempting to save your life and that of those in your care.” Veronica's desperation came through clearly. "Cassius is completely insane. He’s essentially initiated an all-out attack on that hospital for the sole purpose of reaching Dominic. You go there, you die too."

"Then I must warn him, need to tell someone--"

"You can't. He’s locked up by the feds with guards who refuse to listen. They’re going to assume that you’re trying to get him out of here or they’ll consider it tampering with the investigation.”

“So what am I to do then? Just let him die?"

"Run. Leave with the money that I left you. Begin again some place secure, where Cassius will never track you down.”

"What money?" Confusion cut through my panic. "What are you talking about?"

"Check your bank account. I transferred everything I had. Two million dollars. It's yours."

My head was reeling from this new information. "Where did you come up with two million dollars?"

"From Cassius. Money because of what I told him about you and Dominic. About the substitution." Her voice carried shame now. "I sold you out for money. I know what that makes me."

“Money makes your own sister a traitor?” The knife thrust was not as deep as the betrayal.

“I gave up a man that deserves everything he gets. You were collateral damage in a war that was always going to happen.” She paused. “But family looks after family, Vivian. Take the money. Use it to go and make a life far away from all this violence and chaos.”

"What about you? Where will you go?"

"I'll be fine. I always am. I know how to survive." Veronica's voice softened slightly. "But you need to survive too. Don’t waste your life over some nobody who was going to get himself killed or locked up.”

"Veronica, wait—"

But the line was dead. My sister was gone again, and all that she had left were blood money and impossible decisions. I opened my banking app with trembling hands. There it was a deposit from an offshore account. Two million dollars. Money to destroy Dominic, our marriage, everything we had built together.

I snapped to the driver: “Hospital. Now. Drive faster."

The hospital was encircled when we got there. The voices of those who serve the community make their way offstage — police cars, federal vehicles, ambulances with lights flickering. Something massive was happening. There were emergency workers everywhere, setting up a perimeter, clearing patients from some wings.

The guards were trying to hold me back as we got closer. “Ma’am, we have a facility lock down. No civilian access”

"I need to see my husband. He's a patient here—"

"Ma'am, I hear you, but we can't have anyone coming in while this is still an active situation”

"I'm not interested in your procedures!" Desperation erased any caution or sense of self- preservation, and I tried to break through them.

They caught my arms, and held me back professionally but with obvious reluctance. I fought against their hold, sickened as mayhem spread through the building. Emergency lights flashed. They were orderly and ran in formations almost like a trained response to what could be an emergency.

I caught sight of Xavier coming out the front door with a few other armed men whom I recognized as Dominic’s. Guns were visible but not exactly aimed as they moved with military precision.

I tore myself from the arms holding me and raced towards Xavier. "What's happening? Is Dominic okay?"

"Prison break attempt. “An attempt was made to remove Cassius from federal custody.” Xavier seemed tired, his face etched with stress and what could have been spatter of blood. “It was not successful, however two guards are dead and three others have been injured.”

"Did they get Cassius?"

"No. He's still in custody. But this whole thing is getting out of control way too quickly.” Xavier ruffled his hair and rolled his eyes. "This isn't sustainable. Somebody’s going to win this war soon and a hell of a lot of people are going to die in the process.”
‘
"Veronica called me just now. Warned me about a trap here. "Now I found out that man Cassius has people in there fixing to kill Dominic tonight."

Xavier's expression darkened immediately. "She's probably right. "This prison break attempt served no real purpose other than to divert resources from one place to another, so while everyone was covering their back the actual attack would come somewhere else."

"Distraction for what?"

“For the actual attack on wherever they’re really holding—”

In the east wing of the hospital an explosion detonated. Windows exploded outward, showering the area with glass and other debris. Alarms blared even louder. People screamed, running every which way. Xavier yanked me down onto the ground his body covering mine as glass and concrete rained, swept off of a nearby building.

“That’s what," he spoke dully, drowned out by the maelstrom. "That's Dominic's floor.”